Phair, Polk Round Out Coaching Staff

With Mike Phair on board to assist with the defensive line and Carlos Polk aiding Kevin O’Dea on special teams, the Buccaneers’ 2014 coaching staff under Lovie Smith is now complete

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Mike Phair, a former Bears assistant and Bucs scout, will work with D-Line Coach Joe Cullen

Former NFL player Carlos Polk will assist Special Teams Coordinator Kevin O'Dea

Lovie Smith's coaching staff is now complete, three weeks after Smith took over the Bucs' helm

Lovie Smith’s coaching staff is now complete.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2014 staff came together quickly under Smith, with its final two components added on Friday: Mike Phair, assistant defensive line coach, and Carlos Polk, assistant special teams coach. Phair will work with Defensive Line Coach Joe Cullen while Polk will assist Special Teams Coordinator Kevin O’Dea.

Phair joins the Buccaneers after three seasons working with the defensive line in Chicago (2011-13), the first two under Smith. While with the Bears, Phair coached Pro Bowlers Julius Pepper (2011, 2012) and Henry Melton (2012). Prior to joining Smith’s staff in Chicago, Phair spent six seasons with Seattle, three as a coach (2008-10) and three as an area scout (2005-07), working with the team during their 2005 NFC Championship season.

Before joining the Seahawks, Phair spent three seasons as a college scout for the Buccaneers (2002-04), including working with the team during its Super Bowl XXVII championship season. Phair also had college coaching experience with Arizona State (1999-2000) and Tiffin University (2001) before joining the NFL. Phair played collegiately at Arizona State (1990-91), after beginning his career with Mesa Community College (1988-89), where he was an all-conference linebacker.

- New Bucs Assistant Defensive Line Coach Mike Phair worked with the same position in Chicago from 2011-13

Polk comes to Tampa Bay after having served as assistant special teams coach for the San Diego Chargers from 2010-12. Polk got his start in coaching in 2009 at Grossmont College in La Mesa, California. Prior to coaching, Polk played eight seasons in the NFL, including seven as a member of the Chargers (2001-07), where he was named two-time Special Teams Player of the Year and won the Ed Block Courage Award.

Smith was named the Buccaneers’ 10th head coach on January 2. In the three weeks since, he quickly put together the following coaching staff: